


I loved you then and I love you now

by pettylina



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: First Time, M/M, mystrade, relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-07-17
Updated: 2012-07-25
Packaged: 2017-11-10 04:18:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/462123
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pettylina/pseuds/pettylina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically a how they got together fic.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title may change, it's a work in progress, I will update regularly, chapters may get longer, rating may go up.

What I present to you now are two offices. Like most offices they both have the essentials, the trinkets, the extravagant and the unwanted. The essentials of course being chairs (one being ergonomic, the other-at least cushions), they have desks (one of them cherry wood, an antique with multiple hidden cupboards, the other one "vintage" in that it was handed down, made mostly of synthetic materials and a it contains a locked cupboard with a lost key). On both of these desks there is one picture, singular, sentiment. A phone, necessary, just like the computer, one with more security than the other.A desklamp, one of those green Catalina bank lamps residing over some papers in one office, while a simple metal one on the other. Then we have the unwanted, stacks and stacks of paper. These offices aren't much different, they come with the job and they both have a window with a view that lets light in.  
These offices are like a second home, a second skin to these individuals whose job demands that a paper trail follow them and require visiting hours. The visitors always range from the psychotic, to the insipid, to the normal. No one really stands out much, except of course for two individuals who come barging in when they please. Mostly everyone else is invited or has had a previous appointment. Yes, hundreds, possibly thousands but unlikely, of people have come and go through these offices. Don't be fooled into thinking that the holders of these offices had a life full of companionship, in fact it's the opposite, they were quite lonely. Their visitors are not friends, or colleagues, just patrons who require assistance. They lead lives full of people but in the night, looking out their respective windows into London, they can't help but wish that there was somewhere else they could be with someone worth being with.  


oOo

Remember those two individuals who kept barging into offices? Well that's Sherlock and John (or John and Sherlock as some would have it), they are the reason that Gregory and Mycrtoft crossed paths as often as they did. They are of course the not so mysterious holders of the office.  


oOo

When a semblance of a relationship first started forming between them, they usually met over coffee, and usually after hours. Sometimes in Gregory's office (frightful coffee, with the temptation of doughnuts right there, but Mycroft digressed) over their cup they would discuss Sherlock and his "progress" (being alive another day was a successful step), John Watson and his influence and eventually silence would creep and take over. Once in a while Mycroft would ask about Gregory's job, sometimes ask after his wife (eventually ask after his wife who took off, then after the ex-wife, eventully after the dog). Sometimes, if bored and if it had been a pleasant day, Gregory would ask Mycroft about his job and try to figure out how much was true, scripted, or just bent a little. He gave up after a while and just started listening to the stories for the sake of stories. It did not miss his notice when Mycroft started making his stories more extravagant and dangerous, when he started using hand gestures, and once even pranced about the place.That time Mycroft looked at the smirk on Lestrade's face and came to a conclusion supported by facts.  
Other times, coffee was drunk in cafes. Usually Greg had just been out for a walk when he decided to stop and get coffee. A black car would swoop in,cameras would turn away, Mycroft would come out, sit with Greg, and a waitress would put down a coffee that had just magically been ordered. Words were sparse these times. Greetings usually weren't expressed and the weather was most definetely not a topic. Once Greg finished his coffee, and Mycroft had at least taken a sip, a black car would swoop in, Mycroft would get in, and the car dissapeared around the corner. While most people would consider these meetings strange and spend some time wondering what it all meant, Greg had from a young childhood decided that relationships are relationships. They don't have to make sense to the outside world, just as long as they made sense to yourself. So he just got up, knew the coffee was paid for, and walked back to where he hoped he was needed.  


oOo


	2. there's a light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> stuff happens that usually happens, and then a first time

Now I present to you two sitting rooms. Mycroft's sitting room is in a luxurious town house on the border of London, it is not a private gated community, he has no need for a fake sense of safety, he has technology and guards to guarantee real safety. Gregory's sitting room is actually also his dining room, bar area, and tv room.It's located in a flat (newly purchased, but not new, after the separation turned divorce) entirely too expensive for its two rooms. It is however close to the center of town, the tube and the police station.  
Where Mycroft has a lofty fireplace controlled with a remote, persian rugs, tall windows and heavy curtains, Gregory has a tv, and he is pretty sure the remote is somewhere around here.   
Gregory comes to his sitting room most nights, sits on his couch and orders take out to drink with his beer, always one, singular. He turns on the TV and watches, and waits. He surfs the channels a minimum of ten times in 5 minutes waiting for something new and exciting to pop up before settling on re-runs of Top Gear. Sometimes,when he can't find the strength to get up and move,he just let's himself drift, and drift until suddenly, unanticipated, it's morning. He has woken up in his sitting room, again, and he has the same night to look forward to after a grueling day of work. Days that start like this never transpire well.   
Mycroft only sits in his sitting room when something is bothering him or when he is entertaining guests. The former happens a lot more than the latter. He usually just sits on his couch and stares of into the fireplace, often times gets up to look out at the london sky. Sometimes he drinks a single whiskey, and he always leaves. It does not do him well to linger in one room for too long only to notice that his is the only breathing soul he's heard for hours.  
oOo  
Yes, they were lonely. That's the whole point of this sort of thing anyway. To bring two halfs of something and bring it together to form one. Where two wrongs don't make a right, two lonely men make something that looks like company.   
oOo  
They never had to stare at the heartless bitch that is solitude in the face though because, sometimes it was easy to get swept away in the excitement of their daily lives. It was exciting, make no mistake about that, and some days, they loved it. Other days... well they weren't the same fresh young boys, right out of college with no chip on their shoulders and a small hope in their bellies, where they believed they could change the world. Now, they just tried to change criminals to abide by their sleeping schedules.   
oOo  
The first time Lestrade went to Mycroft's town house, he had known sherlock for about two years. Sherlock had been clean for most of them. He had received a mysterious text in the middle of the night with an address followed by SH. He didn't know what to make of it so he put on his shoes and coat and waited for another text. After thirty minutes and no more urging, Lestrade decided to just go. He had nothing to do with his time and his wife was out with her friends. He walked halfway there and then hailed a taxi when he was tired enough to put money on the backburner.   
When he got to the house he wasn't really sure what to do. He stepped out of the taxi, paid the fare and stepped to the gate. He considered knocking, but wasn't really sure what he would say or who would answer. He heard a car door open behind him and assumed it was the taxi driver asking about his tip. He instead got the surprise of his life when he turned around and saw a woman dressed in all black with a phone in her hand and a file in another. If he looked closer, he recognized it as the folders used to file cases at the New Scotland Yard. She signaled for him to go to the door and not really knowing what else he was supposed to do he complied.   
As soon as he reached it the door opened to reveal Mycroft Holmes, with Sherlock storming down the stairs behind him. Before Sherlock could reach them though Mycroft had invited Gregory inside, the lady in black had closed the door and tea was being offered to all. Sherlock had stopped on the stairs and glared at Lestrade. Now really, was that the kind of treatment one got for doin what was asked of them?  
It was only after the tea was served, Sherlock had pushed him into a black town car with no plates and started babbling about the case that was contained in that folder that the mysterious woman had delivered, that Gregory realized where he had just been. Inside Mycroft's house, now that he throught about it, Mycroft was for sure, one posh git.


	3. two firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First time meeting John Watson, First kiss

When Gregory and Mycroft first learned about John Watson, they both thought the same thing. Something along the lines of 'What?'. It was unprecedented for Sherlock to not only find a room mate but of his own accord bring said room mate to his 'job', to bring a person along to consort with. Gregory knew that given time, a person can come to like Sherlock, and if not like, then at least agree on something with him. So he of course assumed that this chap had been a life long friend. Some posh second cousin whom Sherlock saw every summer when his mother dragged him along in a visit to the french family. The not so posh clothes were of course explained by the simple fact that even Sherlock's french posh friends/cousin can't be expected to behave, act and dress like a french posh friend/cousin is supposed to act. 

Later in the conversation it was clear that was not the case. This John, was what a John is supposed to be, average but different and not a relative to Sherlock. Either way now that he knew the truth he didn't expect it to last. Nice to meet you John Watson, first and last time I'll ever see you. 

When Mycroft met John, he was more then a little pissed off. How had it escaped the notice of practically dozens of people that his brother was looking for a flatmate. How was it possible that not only had this chap agreed but Sherlock was actually allowing this nonsense to continue. Why had one if his people not been able to worm his way into flatmate status. Now he had to go and pay this 'John', which apparently was his name, security check proved that, to look after his brother. And then he refused. Was he some lunatic? Well, obviously, he needed a deeper background check. 

oOo

It's a mush. Their first kiss is completely accidental, there's an umbrella, there's Mycroft, and there's Lestrade. Lestrade is on his third cup of tea after sally banned him from having any more that eight cups of coffee. Mycroft, has just slept for 17 hours and is now taking care of business, Sherlock business, personal matters, stuff. Lestrade is at his desk staring at his computer with a ferocity only seen in the wild when out of nowhere he hears the tap of something against his desk. He jerks to life, stands up, trips over the umbrella (the tapping noise), and comes face to face with Mycroft.

"Mycroft, hi!" 

"Gregory"

And then as if on impulse, Greg presses his lips to Mycroft in greeting. Mycroft is slow from sleep, Lestrade on a caffeine high. Mycroft takes a breath, Gregory closes his eyes, seperates and stops breathing all together. Greg feels his bottom lip smarting(Mycroft bit it in surprise). Just then Greg realises what he just did and steps away from Mycroft.

"I'm here to discuss the matter of my brother and the Van Huit case, I suspect he will figure it out by tomorrow but I would appreciate it if that was the extent of his involvement with the Swiss gangs."

"Yes, of course, unless he is needed, you understand"

"Of course... well I'll be leaving, always a pleasure to see you Gregory"

"Coffee?"

"Must get back to the office I'm afraid, some other time"

"Tomorrow?"

"Sure."

They never talked about it. When in the morning, relieving himself of his morning nuisance his visions started morphing slowly into slightly grayed hair,brown eyes, normal height and that smile he craved so much Mycroft just ignored it. As did Lestrade when his few dates where with taller gingers with an affinity for overdressing. 


End file.
